


Red and Gold, Black and Blue

by Multifandom_damnation



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Best Friends, Coma, Desperation, Dialogue Heavy, Dreams and Nightmares, Flashbacks, Forgiveness, Gen, Headaches & Migraines, Loneliness, Memories, Sleep Deprivation, Team Dynamics, Team Flash, Team as Family, Texting, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-02 12:42:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16305452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multifandom_damnation/pseuds/Multifandom_damnation
Summary: Barry realised that there was nothing he could do to repay his friend for all he had done for Barry and their team, whether Barry knew it at the time or not. Cisco was always there for him, no matter what. But thought it would take some time, he could start repaying him now and the least Barry could do was take Cisco home so he could sleep on a warm bed for the first time in too long.





	Red and Gold, Black and Blue

Breezing through the hallway on his way out for the evening, Barry stuck his head into the Cortex to wish Cisco a goodnight but paused when he saw Cisco face down on the console, the desk covered in papers and coffee cups and plastic slushy containers, soft snores floating through the air on Cisco’s every exhale.

Barry decided not to wake him up- knew that Cisco hadn’t been sleeping well lately since he began working on the cure for Harry’s intelligence and knew that this would be one of the only times when he got a good night’s rest. But then he heard Cisco let out a whimper instead of a snore, and shift painfully against the console, and Barry moved closer.

His eyes left a trail of tears down his face to form a puddle on the console, Cisco’s face contorted into a painful grimace, hands fisted together tightly. Sighing, Barry ran a hand through Cisco’s hair and considered waking him up. Then Cisco muttered something, something shaky and painful that he choked out on a sop.

Not for the first time, Barry wondered what Cisco’s vibes were like in his dreams. Were they vivid? Where they painful? In his spare time, Barry vowed to figure that out.

Sighing, Barry thought about leaving him, letting him sleep and sob through his nightmares and pretend he was alright the next day like he always did. But as Barry had one foot out the door, he felt a twang of memory and he walked back around the console to crouch down before Cisco.

Through thick and thin, Cisco had always been there for Barry, no matter what. And Barry couldn’t even stay with his friend to give him comfort through another nightmare?

As Barry chided himself for even considering leaving his friend, his mind went blank and he remembered all the times Cisco had put his neck on the line for him when he really didn’t have to.

*~*

Barry remembers that Cisco was the first face he saw after waking up from the coma, looking after an unconscious stranger who he wasn’t even sure would wake up. But yet, even though Barry was sore and confused and scared, Cisco talked him through it and calmed him down enough for Barry to begin making sense of the situation.

“What was it like?” Barry had quietly asked him later as Cisco ran the tests through his tablet. “Having to look after a coma patient?”

Cisco only laughed and smiled down at Barry from where he laid on his bed in the med bay. “It was easy, really. I don’t mind. Almost looking after a really fragile porcelain doll- one wrong move and the whole thing could shatter.” He winked and Barry felt himself blush at the action anyway. “Don’t worry- you weren’t too much trouble.”

Grumbling, Barry had sunk deeper into his mound of pillows. “You had to babysit a guy you've never even met.” He felt his own embarrassment bubble up from inside him as he thought about all the things Cisco would have had to have done to take care of him. “You didn’t… resent that?”

“Nah man, not at all.” Cisco smiled as he shook his head. “It was kind of like looking after a fresh corpse. Don’t fret kid- you helped me out too, so I guess we’re even already.”

“I was in a coma,” Barry pointed out bitterly. “What could I have possibly done for you?”

Shrugging, Cisco put his tablet down and fiddled with the clear bags filled with liquid on his IV drip. “I sat by your bedside every day, keeping you company, you know? Had a lot to talk about- gave me a chance to get things off of my chest. Besides- it’s always nice to chat with a guy who can’t talk over you.” He smiled again and left the room.

*~*

Barry remembers Cisco shouting encouragement at him from the other end of the tarmac as lightning shot out in his wake and his body became a blur, running so fast everything else around him seemed to slow down, but he could hear Cisco and his wild inspiration.

When Cisco clapped him on the shoulder afterwards, he grinned and Barry, for the first time in a while, felt like he belonged. “Man, that was so cool. I mean, obviously, I’ll need to start working on a friction proof suit so you don’t, you know- catch fire the next time you run. But you did a really great job.”

“Thanks,” Barry’s voice was breathy, still unused to such effortless exertion. “How’d you come up with this idea, by the way?”

Waving his hand to indicate the wide expanse of empty tarmac, Cisco turned his attention back to the data and statistics on his tablet. “I thought that practising your running would be a good idea to start off with, just so you can get a hang of the new speed.”

“Maybe if I get better, we can move up to obstacles and stuff?” Barry asked hopefully, glancing at the readings on the tablet screen and knowing how good they were. “I mean, not right away, but you know. Eventually.”

“Listen, pal,” Cisco said, laughter lightening his voice. “I’m an engineer. I build moving machine parts and rotating fans and things that would probably go over your head-“

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Barry questioned, slightly offended.

Cisco blinked. “I mean, you’re in forensics, right? It’s Doctor Wells’ job to bore you with technical things you don’t understand. Mine is to make sure you have fun. I don’t know anything about forensics- I don’t expect you to know anything about robotics and engineering.”

“Oh,” Barry said stupidly as he cooled down. Cisco just rolled his eyes at him with a chuckle, whacked him good-naturedly on the back and went back to the wheelchair-bound Doctor Wells.

The first obstacle course was nothing more than an assortment of large orange traffic cones scattered at random across a wide expanse of nothing. But the _second_ obstacle course was more advanced- moving parts and pop up figures and fake landmines. Barry thanked Cisco profusely for it, while Cisco only shrugged. “Don’t get good too quickly. These things take time to make and how do you expect me to make them every time you advance, huh? My fingers get sore.”

*~*

Barry remembered Cisco coming to him with a large grin plastered on his face, dark purple bags fitted snugly under his eyes and a large, bright blue, slightly dilapidated hand-truck wheeling in with a large sheet covered figurine inside. “Lo and behold my faithful subjects!” Cisco announced, positioning the hand-truck and its cargo in the middle of the Cortex.

Moving up to the new arrival, Caitlin picked some of the peeling paint off of the hand-truck and dropped it on the floor. “What is it Cisco?”

“A solution for our friend!” Cisco pointed at Barry very passionately and Barry suddenly felt like the elephant in the room. “And his very annoying tendency to burst into flames when he runs.”

“I can’t help that!” Barry defended, putting his hands up as if to block Cisco’s accusations from touching him. “My power is speed, not control over fire.”

“I know, I know, and that is why I came up with a solution.” Cisco placed his hands on the heavy grey tarp as if to rip it away but paused at the last moment to pin his audience with a stare. “You know how you finally want to do the hero thing, right? Run around Central City and save people?”

“Yeah…?” Barry said suspiciously.

“I have a solution,” Cisco repeated as he removed the tarp with a flourish and let it fall ungracefully to the floor, revealing a manikin in a new red suit with a cowl and a lightning bolt symbol attached to the centre. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

Gaping, Barry tentatively approached it. “You built this? For me?”

“Some of my finest work, I’m very proud of it,” Cisco beamed, running his hands through his hair.

Doctor Wells took that moment to wheel his way into the room, smiling at Cisco as he admired his achievement. “Very good, Mr Ramon. This is very impressive. I’m proud of you, this is quite a feat. It may be your best work yet”

Cisco preened under the unexpected praise.

*~*

Barry remembers Cisco, despite being deathly afraid of the new powers that he didn't understand and sleep deprived of nightmares in which his mentor murders him in cold blood, had put on those glasses Caitlin had carefully made and went back into those nightmares, waking up screaming and with tears brimming at the corner of his eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry you had to do that," Barry apologized as Cisco sat heavily down in a chair and rubbed a hand hastily through his hair to calm his nerves. "It's just... we really needed to know and that was the best way..."  
  
"I know," Cisco said, voice still shaky. "I get it. That doesn't mean I had to like it though." He chuckled at the end but it came out as breathy and fake. "He shoved his hand through my chest. He really did it. It wasn't just a dream, he really killed me."  
  
Sighing, Barry sat down beside him and rubbed his back. Under his hand, Barry could feel how strongly Cisco was trembling. "We don't know that. It could've just been your thoughts manifesting themselves in a negative way?" Judging by Cisco's silence, he didn't believe him. "Anyway, thanks for doing this man. I know how hard it would have been. I don't think I've ever seen anyone be so scared in a dream."  
  
"Yeah well," Cisco sat up and rubbed at his eyes. "I hope I never have to do something like that again." He glanced at Barry quickly out the corner of his eye. "But, you know, I'm glad we found out who killed your mother. Even if he turned out to be Doctor Wells."  
  
"His name is Eobard Thawne," Joe reminded gently from his place near Barry's bulletin board. "He was never Harrison Wells. I knew there was something wrong with that guy."  
  
Barry glanced at Cisco again, his eyes distant and half closed, and slung his arm over Cisco's shoulder. "Don't worry about it Cisco, it's done. We'll figure it out. I promise I won't ask you to do anything like that again."  
  
"I'd do anything for you, you know that," Cisco muttered tiredly, but his words were sincere as he rested his head against Barry's torso. "Just give me a time and place and I'll be there."  
  
He should be surprised but when Barry later watches Cisco relive his nightmare again, stumbling backwards and away from a walking Wells with his hand raised and into a malfunctioning trap, he really didn't know what else he expected from his brave best friend.

*~*

Barry remembers being slammed down again and again onto a metal slab in the Prescott Mill, about to be beaten with a heavy wooden bat, when a blast of blue energy knocked the Rival away.

  
Though he was still mad at Barry for going back in time and changing the timeline, Cisco stood there in a pair of goggles that Barry had never seen before and proudly declared, "Stay away from my friend."  
  
Cornering Cisco as he was carefully putting the goggles down on his workbench as if they would explode, Barry spun him around with a hand on his arm. “Thanks, man, I really owe you one,” Barry told him, wrapping him in a tight hug. To his surprise, there was no hesitation as Cisco hugged back just as tightly. “Why did you come? You could have just left me there and watched me get my ass kicked.”

“You’d have done the same for me,” Cisco said firmly, pulling away from the hug but still leaving his hand on Barry’s arm. “Besides, Central City needs the Flash. And I need my best friend.” He smiled at Barry’s shock. “Yeah, I know I’ve been an ass but I really miss Dante and finding out you went and did the one thing I’d been begging you to do for months for yourself sort of pushed me over the edge. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been such a dick about it. I promise I won’t ask you again.”

Barry felt his heart drop painfully into his stomach. “Yeah man, don’t worry about it. Are we cool?” Barry hated himself for even suggesting it.

When Cisco smiled immensely, Barry hated himself even more. It had been quite a while since Cisco smiled so genuinely, since Dante died, and Barry felt like hell for making him smile over this of all things. “Yeah man. We’re cool. Cool as ice.” Cisco joked.

In a desperate attempt to change the subject to something less painful, Barry pointed at the black and blue goggle type glasses placed on the bench. “Do you want to explain to me how those work, now that I’m actually here to listen? I promise I’ll try my best to understand if you promise not to go too fast.”

For the second time that night, Cisco smiled in pure excitement and having his friend back and for the second time, Barry felt like he was the worst friend in the world.

*~*

Barry remembers his choice to accept the Dominators offer and to leave his team to join them on their ship. He hadn’t even made it a few steps until he turned around to see his friends standing behind Oliver, prepared to keep Barry with them. The biggest surprise was that Cisco- Cisco who hated him, Cisco who despised him, Cisco who wanted nothing to do with him after what Barry did- was standing with them. He’d walked right up to Barry and said “You’re not a hero to me. You’re my friend.” And that was the only reason Barry had stayed.

“Why?” Barry asked him quietly as Cisco was putting his suit on and eyeing the Waverider wearily. “Why would you forgive me after what I did?”

Rolling his eyes, Cisco turned away from the time ship and faced Barry. “Listen, I’m still mad. Whether I stay mad depends on you and whether or not we can stop that bomb from destroying the world. But I forgive you. You messed up- you can’t change that now.”

“Yet you’ve volunteered to do the most dangerous part of the mission for me?” Barry questioned incredulously. “That makes no sense.”

“Well, you’ll be more help on the ground than flying through the air.” Cisco pointed out. “And who knows? Maybe I can breach it somewhere.”

Sighing, Barry rubbed his eyes. “If we’re going to die, I don’t want to die like this. I want to die as friends.”

Cisco’s face softened and he ran his hand up and down Barry’s arm. “We won’t. Sara and I will make sure the bomb doesn’t hit the Earth so you just have to make sure you don’t die either. And I meant what I said before- you’re my friend. Nothing you can say or do now will change it.”

“But you said you were still angry with me?” Barry’s mind was desperately holding onto the ‘friends’ statement that nothing else made sense. “What does that depend on?”

“It depends on what drink you buy me when all of this is over.” Cisco winked as his name was called and he put on his goggles. “I’ll see you later. But remember! Don’t die.”

*~*

Barry doesn’t remember what had happened but was told about what Cisco had to go through, with both Caitlin and him missing, to keep Central City safe. Iris told him later about how he hardly left the Lab unless it was on patrol with Wally or to follow a lead about Killer Frost. How he went out of his mind reconfiguring the Speed Force Bazooka and how he spent too much time trying to decipher Barry’s code after coming out of the Speed Force.

When Barry saw him, his eyes were sunken and dull, his skin was pale from lack of sunlight, his eyelids dropped like he was about to fall asleep at any moment and he shook as if standing was too much effort, but he was smiling as if he had just won the lottery.

As soon as Barry was back in S.T.A.R Labs and was in his right mind, Cisco had stuck to him and Caitlin like glue as if he were afraid that they would leave him alone again.

When everyone had gone home or found a bed for the night, Barry leaned over the console where Cisco was monitoring computer screens and smiled. “Hey,” he said quietly, voice still rough from underuse.

“Oh, Barry! I didn’t know you were up. Is everything alright?” Cisco asked, smiling up at Barry.

“No, no, I just wanted to thank you for everything you did, trying to get me out.” Barry genuinely thanked his friend and Cisco seemed to blush at the compliment. _How long has Cisco been without friends to talk to?_ Barry wondered. “I know how hard it must have been with Caitlin gone too but you still stuck with it. If it wasn’t for you, I’d still be stuck there. So thank you.”

“You have nothing to thank me for.” Cisco shook his head. “I’m glad I could help. Speaking of help, when Wally comes by tomorrow, I think you should thank _him_ for keeping your city safe. He really stepped up to the plate. He did a great job.”

“Rumor has it I have you to thank for that as well.” Barry looked Cisco in the eyes, no matter how hard Cisco tried to avoid them. “I know how hard this has been on you and how much you’ve had to do, but you still took time out of your day to help Wally. To protect _our_ city.”

Cisco turned back to the computers. “I did what I had to do when Wally needed back up.”

“You and I both know that’s not true,” Barry said kindly. “I’m not here to tell you off Cisco. Honestly, I’m really proud of you and Wally both.” Cisco looked up at that, surprised. “I mean it. You did a great job while I was gone. I can never thank you enough.”

“Man, I’m so glad you and Caitlin are back.” Cisco sighed happily, leaning back in his chair. He still looked sickly and worn out, Barry noticed, but much better than he had when Barry first came back. “Now we can be a family again, right? Team Flash, back together.”

“Yeah, Cisco.” Barry agreed, accepting Cisco’s offer for a handshake. “The gangs back together.”

*~*

It was his name mumbled loudly that pulled Barry out of his memories and he resurfaced slowly and took in the sight of Cisco’s hands fisted tightly in a pile of now-crumbled paper and his friends face twisted with fear. In Barry’s delayed reaction, Cisco muttered something again and his head hit the tabletop as he thrashed and Barry was up on his knees in an instant. Still, despite the rough treatment his head had just endured by being slammed into the console desk, Cisco slept on. _Yeah, defiantly a vibe_ , Barry thought as he rested a hand gently on Cisco’s arm. “Hey man, relax, I’m here. You’re just dreaming. I’m fine.” Slowly, through Barry’s continued soothing, Cisco’s tense body relaxed and he slept peacefully once more.

Standing, Barry looked down at his friend and couldn’t help but consider how small Cisco looked in that moment, sleepy and drooling, hair obscuring his face like a dark tangle of night. He was almost like a child- an exhausted and broken child. The thought made Barry unhappy and he walked around the console in order to turn off all the monitors still on so he could give himself something to do other than think about how his friend worked himself down to the bone for them.

Looking down at Cisco, Barry realised that there was nothing he could do to repay his friend for all he had done for Barry and their team, whether Barry knew it at the time or not. Cisco was always there for him, no matter what. But thought it would take some time, he could start repaying him now and the least Barry could do was take Cisco home so he could sleep on a warm bed for the first time in too long.

Covering Cisco in the only thin and scratchy grey blanket they had left in the med bay, Barry lifted his friend gently in his arms and ran them both to Cisco’s apartment, turning the lights off in the Cortex as he exited. When he reached his final destination, Cisco stirred slightly under the blanket but didn’t wake up. A testament to how tired he truly was. Barry had his own key and he used it to unlock the door one-handed, juggling Cisco on his knee, and made his way into the dark and empty apartment.

The room was cold and after depositing Cisco on the couch for the moment, Barry went to turn up the heating, only to see that the entire monitor was broken. Looking around, Barry could see that most of the room was in varying states of disrepair- broken windows, letters were strewn on the counter, blankets all over the floor, pillows missing from the couch- nothing like Barry was used to seeing. Sure, Cisco’s apartment was always relatively messy but the disregard for his belonging’s that Barry could see now really stood to reason how much time Cisco was spending at S.T.A.R Labs and not in his own home.

Vowing to come back later and clean it, Barry lifted Cisco up again and carried him to his room, tucking him in safely under the covers and whispering soft reassurances to him when he mumbled again in his sleep. Barry quietly left the room, closing all the doors gently behind him before sprinting back home to Iris.

He woke up the next morning to a new text from Cisco in the group chat reserved for those who work at S.T.A.R Labs.

_Ok, who knows how I got home last night? Because I sure as hell don’t._

Grinning, Barry kissed Iris on the head and got changed before sprinting off to work where a very confused and amused Caitlin was waiting for him, phone open in her hand. A looked of mutual understanding passed through them and Caitlin nodded in thanks. Barry quickly dropped his head and wrote back as Caitlin sat back to watch.

_I have no idea what you’re talking about._

  _Like hell you don’t. I wasn’t going to come home last night. Yet lo and behold, I’m in my own bed._

_You just have a guardian angel man._

_Ha-ha, very funny. Cynthia’s on Earth 19 and she wouldn’t come over to just to tuck me into bed._

_You don’t know, she could._

_She wouldn’t. Not in a million years._

_Why are you so hung up about this anyway? What’s wrong with it?”_

_Listen, Barry, I appreciate it, but only whoosh me home if I ask for it. I don’t have the time to be making the trip over from home._

_A breach takes seconds to make!! You say so yourself!_

_I don’t see your point. MY point is that you really didn’t have to do that._

_I just wanted to do something nice for you. Is that too much to want?_

_No, it’s not, but seriously, ask next time._

_I’m sorry??_

_Don’t be. But be careful what you’re sitting on- I left some acid-base on the console before I passed out and forgot to clean it up._

Barry left away from the console with a yelp as Caitlin doubled over laughing and Cisco appeared through a breach, a smile on his face. “Don’t worry man, I’m just joking. Unlike some people, you know I always clean up my messes.”


End file.
